Rotary solenoid



March 17,1910 K. R. 'OLESEN 3,501,726

v ROTARY SOLENOID Filed Aug. 14 1968 MULTl- CO/L SCHEDULE (o/Ls Acr/mv ATTRACT EEPELL A M4 8 SINGLE x A 3 D 0114 L x CMD DUAL x C any SINGLE x D n SINGLE IN VE NTOR. far! Ez'chara Olesen 1%.; Airmen/5y United States Patent O 3,501,726 ROTARY SOLENOID Karl Richard Olesen, 2156 Hedding St., San Jose, Calif. 95128 Filed Aug. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 752,719 Int. Cl. H01f 7/08 US. Cl. 335-272 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rotary solenoid in which a U-shaped iron rotor has its bight portion secured to a non-magnetic shaft mounted for rotation eccentrically of and within a cylindrical body of magnetizable material whereby the ends of the legs of such U-shaped rotor swings between limits from close proximity to the inner surface of the cylindrical body in an'arc of increasing air gap relative thereto and single and dual' action coils for such rotary solenoid.

BACKGROUND Rotary solenoids have heretofore veen constructed in various manners and forms to effect a partial rotation of a shaft connected to various instruments for controlling orchanging the action thereof. Such prior known rotary solenoids usually have a multiplicity of parts requiring intricate assembly and costly manufacture. Prior known structures may be found in class 317 subsclass 197 of the US. Patent Office files.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION 1 terial for swinging movement between close relation to the inner surface of such body and a greater spacing therefrom.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary solenoid with a U-shaped rotor in which parts thereof become the core of electromagnetic coils adapted to be energized so that the arms of such U-shaped rotor will be attracted toward or released from attraction toward a cylindrical body housing of the rotor.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description in the light of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the basic body and core of a rotary solenoid embodying the present invention. r

"FIG. 2 is a section through the assembled unit of FIG. 1. 1

FIG. 3 is a section through FIG. 2 taken along line 33 therein with the rotor in a different position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the rotor of FIG. 2 and as seen from line 44 therein.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail along the lines of FIG. 2 showing a multi coil arrangement therefor according to the schedule of FIG. 5.

' 3,501,726 Patented Mar. 17, 1970 DETAILED DESCRIPTION In general the rotary solenoid of the present invention includes a rotor 10 mounted on a shaft 11 journaled in a housing 12 for swinging movement between two extreme limits. Swinging movement of the rotor 10 is affected 'by magnetic force induced into the rotor against spring means normally maintaining the rotor at one of its limits of movement.

The invention resides in the particular manner of construction of the rotor and housing and their relationship with respect to one another.

Referring to FIG. 1 the housing 12 is a cylindrical body 13- of ferrous material having its ends closed by disclike end walls 14 and 15 of a non-conductive material such as aluminum, plastic or the like. The internal surface 16 of the cylindrical body 13 is honed out to a perfect circle about its axis a. Each of the end walls 14 and -15 is bored on an axis b eccentric to their centers which is congruent to the axis a of the cylindrical body 13. These bores in the side walls 14 and 15 have suitable bearings 17 and 18, respectively, press fit therein to support the shaft 11 for journaling the rotor 10 in offset relation to the center of the housing, i.e. eccentric to the honed inner surface 16 of the cylindrical body 13 thereof.

The rotor 10 comprises a U-shaped member 20 having a pair of legs 21 and 22 extending from its bight portion 23, which is parallel to and mounted on the shaft 11. The axial length of the bight portion 23 is such as to fit be tween the bearings 17 and 18 so as to space the outer sides of each leg 21 and 22 of the rotor from the inner faces 24 and 25 of the end walls 14 and 15 (FIG. 2).

The U-shaped rotor 10 is formed of ferrous metal whereas the shaft 11 upon which it is secured is of nonmagnetic material such as stainless steel. The bight portion 23 of the U-shaped rotor is the core upon which electrical wires are wound as a coil 26. Electrical current is supplied to this coil 26 via electrical conductors 27 and 28 having their outer ends 29 secured to binding posts which are insulated from the iron body 13 by non-conductive sleeves (see FIG. 3).

In accordance with the present invention the electrical conductors 27 and 28 are preferably spring-like resilient members constructed of beryllium, copper alloy, and the like having their inner ends linkedly connected as at 30 to the rotor-10 for urging the latter toward a normal or non-operative position (counter-clockwise FIG. 3). Stop pins 31 extend from each of the end walls 14 and 15 in a position to resist swinging movement of the rotor beyond its normal, non-operative condition.

Upon energization of the coil 26 by electrical current applied through the conductors 27 and 28 the U-shaped rotor 10 becomes magnetized such that the outer ends 32-33 of the legs 21 and 22 of the rotor take on opposite polarity. In this manner the legs 21 and 22 are attracted toward the eccentrically disposed inner surface 16 of the cylindrical body 13 which is of ferrous metal.

Since the outer ends 3233 of the legs 21 and 22 are spaced a greater distance from the inner surface 16 when 'the rotor 10 is spring urged into the normal, non-operative position within the housing 12, the legs when magnetized seek contact with the ferrous cylindrical body 13. In this manner the rotor 10 is caused to swing (clockwise 'FIG. 3) toward the other extreme or operated position of its rotary movement about the eccentric axis b of the shaft 11. This operated position is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 and in full lines at enlarged scale in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 4 it will be noted that the curvature of each of the outer ends 32 and 33 of the legs 21 and 22 are struck on a radius from the axis a of the cylindrical body 13 when the rotor 10 is disposed in magnetized, operated position. In this position the legs 21 and 22 of the rotor engage stop pins 34 which extend from the respective non-conductive end walls 1 4 and 15. Moreover, the arcuate outer ends 32-33 :of the legs 21 and 22 are not quite in full bearing relation with respect to the inner surface 16 of the body 13. This prevents any gauling or binding, metal to metal between the ends 32-33 of the legs 21-22 and the inner surface 16 of the cylindrical body 13.

Referring again to FIG. 4 it will be noted that the stop members 31 and 34 may be formed as integral projections on the inner surfaces 24 and 25 of the end walls 14 and 15 at the desired limits of movement of the rotor 10.

The offset relation of the axis b of the shaft 11 relative to the axis a of the cylindrical housing 13 is rearward or outside of the quadrant of swing of the rotor between its two limits of movement. In conjunction with the foregoing it will also be noted that the axis b of the shaft is of lesser distance from the arcuate ends 32-33 than the actual radius thereof as struck from the axis a at the operated position as shown in FIG. 4.

As a result of this relationship it will be noted that the legs 21 and 22 (when held in non-operated position (FIG. 3) by action of the spring 27-28) have their arcuate ends 32 and 33 disposed a greater distance from the inner surface 16 of the cylindrical body 13 than when in operated position (FIG. 4). However, when the coil 26 is energized to magnetize the legs 21 and 22 of the rotor, the latter is attracted into closer relation to the cylindrical body 13 thus swinging the rotor 10 and shaft 11 toward operated position (FIG. 4).

As best seen in FIG. 3 the rotor 10 is illustrated as swingable one quadrant of a circle, it being understood that the position of the stop pins 31 or 34 may be placed within such quadrant as needed or desired. It should also be noted that the end walls 14 and 15 are oriented relative to each other to the cylindrical bod 13 and to the rotor 10 by means of dowels 40 which will register the end walls with the body 13 and the stop pins 31 and 34 relative to the rotor 10. Suitable securing means such as screws and the like may be used to fasten the side walls to the cylindrical body in a conventional manner.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the polarity of the magnetism induced into the rotor 10 is determined by the winding of the coil 26. The polarity of the magnetism may be varied by the use of multiple coils in the manner as shown in FIG. 5 and the accompanying multi coil schedule.

Referring to FIG. 5 multiple coils are shown at A, B,

'C and D. The coil C is identical to the one 26 explained in connection with FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

The coils A and B are windings of electrical wires 41 and 42 about the legs 21 and 22, respectively, of the rotor 10. Suitable leads of flexible cable (not shown) are supplied with electrical current through binding posts similar to the ones 30 and 30' hereinbefore explained. These windings 41 and 42 may be used in place of the coil 0 and when energized will magnetize the respective legs 21 and 22 which form the cores of coils A and B. Note that the windings of coils 41 and 42 are reversed and interconnected such as to establish opposite poles N and S at the arcuate ends 32 and 33 of the legs 21 and 22.

In this manner, the rotor 10 will be caused to swing toward operated position by reason of their arcuate ends 32 and 33 being attracted into closer relationship with the cylindrical body 13 just as they had under the influence of coil C.

The coil D is provided by a winding of electrical wire 45 around the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 13. This coil is best set into a groove 46 cut into the outer periphery of the body 13 as shown in FIG. 5. This outer coil D when used alone will magnetize the ferrous metal of the cylindrical'body 13- and thereby establish north and south polarity on opposite ends of the body 13 to attract the arcuate ends 32 and 33 of the rotor legs 21 and 4 22 into closer relation with the inner surfaces 16 of the body 13.

Referring to the multi coil schedule and the illustration in FIG. 5 it will be noted in item:

(1) Coils A and B when energized alone effect a single action of attracting the rotor 10 from non-operated into operated position with greater force than coil C alone.

(2) Coils A, B and D when employed together afford a dual action in which the coil D when energized for example to set up a polarity of north adjacent the leg 21 of rotor 10 and a polarity of south adjacent the leg 22 will induce greater magnetic attraction relative to the arcuate ends 32 and 33 when the coils A and B are energized to establish opposite polarity therein as shown in FIG. 5. However, upon reversal of the flow of current through either one or the other of these sets of coils D or A-B the rotor ends 32 and 33 will be repelled away from the inner surface 16 of the cylindrical body 13 to thereby cause the rotor 10 to move toward inoperative position (counterclockwise FIG. 3) against the stop pins 31.

The foregoing reversal of flow of current may be made through the coils A-B while the coil D remains energized as originally explained. In this arrangement the rotor will also be repelled relative to the cylindrical body 13 and return to non-operative position against stop pins 31 by magnetic force rather than via the springy conductors 27 and 28.

(3) The coils C and D when used together will also afford a dual action of either attraction or repulsion of the rotor 10 between its two extreme positions of movement.

(4) 'Coil C only as hereinbefore explained in connections with FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 affords a single action of attraction only when the coil is energized. In this connection, however, it should be noted that the resilient, spring-like conductors 27-28 return the rotor to normal or non-operative position when no magnetic attraction occurs. It will also be noted that by supporting the housing 12 in a position in which the legs 21 and 22 of the rotor hang downwardly, i.e. FIG. 3 turned clockwise degrees, the rotor 10 will return to non-operative position by gravity and pull-upwardly through a 6 to 9 oclock quadrant upon energization of the coil 26 (C) (5) When the coil D alone is used only the cylindrical body 13 becomes magnetized thereby setting up opposite polarities at the ends of the cylindrical body. The magnetic forces thus established will cause the arcuate ends 33-34 of legs 21 and 22 of the rotor to be attracted closer to the inner surface 16 of the body 13 to thereby swing the rotor toward operative position.

While the foregoing rotary solenoid has been described in specific detail it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the same may be susceptible to modifications, alterations and/or variations without departing from the spirit of my invention therein. I therefore desire to avail myself of all modificationis, alterations and/ or variations claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary solenoid comprising:

(a) a cylindrical body of magnetizable material;

(b) a non-magnetic end wall secured to each open end of said cylindrical body;

(c) a shaft of non-magnetizable material having its ends journaled in parallel, offset relation to the axis of said cylindrical body with at least one of the ends of said shaft extending through one of said end walls;

(d) a U-shaped rotor having its bight portion secured to said shaft with the leg portions of said rotor extending radially therefrom for swinging movement within a range of one quadrant of said cylindrical body whereby said leg portions assume limits of movement between a non-operative position in which 5 their extreme ends are spaced from the inner surface of said cylindrical body and an operative position with their extreme ends in close proximity thereto;

(e) means for urging the leg portions of said rotor into non-operative position; and

(f) means for magnetically effecting the extreme ends of the leg portions of said rotor relative to said cylindrical body for swinging said rotor between nonoperative and operative positions therein.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1 including means on said end walls engageable by the leg portions of said rotor for limiting swinging movement of the latter between said non-operative and operative positions.

3. The device'in accordance with claim 2 in which said U-shaped rotary member has the extreme ends of its leg portions arcuately formed on a radius slightly within the radius of the inner surface of said cylindrical body for spaced parallel relation in close proximity thereto when said rotor is disposed in said operative position.

4. The device in accordance with that of claim 3 in which the axial center of the arcuate ends of the leg portions of said rotor coincide with the center of the bight portion thereof when the rotor is in operative position and in which said shaft is offset outwardly of said quadrant of movement of said rotor and a lesser distance radially from the zone of close proximity of said arcuate ends of the'leg portions with respect to the inner surface of said cylindrical body whereby the spacing of said arcuate ends relative thereto gradually increases as said rotor swings toward said non-operative position.

5. The device as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 in which said means for urging the leg portions of said rotor into non-operative position comprises a pair of electrical conductors of spring-like resilient material having their outer ends secured to binding posts in said 5 cylindrical body and their inner ends linkedly connected to said rotor.

6. The device as defined in 5 in which said means for magnetically effecting the extreme ends of the leg portions of said rotor relative to said cylindrical body comprises a coil of electrical wire coiled about a portion of said rotor for magnetizing the rotor.

7. The device as defined in 6 in which said means for magnetically effecting the extreme ends of the leg portions of said rotor relative to said cylindrical body comprises a coil of electrical wire coiled about said cylindrical body for magnetizing the latter.

8. The device in accordance with any one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 in which the means for magnetically effecting the extreme ends of the leg portions of said rotor relative to said cylindrical body comprises:

(a) a coil of electrical wire coiled about a portion of said rotor for magnetizing said rotor;

(b) a coil of electrical wire coiled about said cylindrical body for magnetizing the latter; and

(c) means for alternately reversing the flow of electrical current through the coil of electrical wire on each of said rotor and said cylindrical body for effccting a dual action of the swing of movement of said rotor between said non-operative and operative positions relative to said cylindrical body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,092,762 6/1963 Roters et al. 335272 3,435,394 3/1969 Egger 335-272 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner R. N. ENVALL, 1a., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 310-36 

